In science, I'm assigned a seat in the middle row while Nick sits in the rear. Throughout the lesson, he makes a pain of himself as he tries to get my attention, and eventually manages, with some maneuvering, to become my lab partner. I should be glad Hilary is not here to glower at me, but I wish she was. With her here, he might leave me alone.

"Now I can impress you with my brilliance," he says as he touches my arm.

Mr. Payne passes me a handout. "Not so much talking, please."

Later, as we pack away the equipment, Nick asks, "Wanna go to the movies with us this Saturday? There'll be seven of us. Tom, Barry, Will, Hilary, and some other girls you'll like. I can pick you up by eight."

No. Never, and don't ask me again.

I swing between pushing back hard like I do with Dad when he hammers at me, or doing what Mom does when she turns men down. But he's popular and in the end, I don't want to risk having him spin things, so people hate me. I close my eyes to steady myself and go for her way. "I really wish I could," I say, making my voice soft, with a playful edge. "But my sister has this weekend off and I promised to help her with the boxes we haven't unpacked yet. Maybe next time?"

Instead of appeasing him, his shoulders stiffen. His stance grows rigid again, the anger I sensed earlier, returning. "That's a bullshit excuse. It's only a few hours. You can unpack anytime."

When I don't budge, he looks at me and shakes his head in disgust before walking away.

***

The last person I want to see after school is Mr. Wolburn. I bypass the math room by going all the way around. He'll be upset when he sees me next class, but he'll get the idea I don't need his help. I missed ten days, not ten weeks. I can catch up on my own.

When I arrive at my locker, it's like déjà vu. Will waits there for me again, sitting stretched out, the same way he did the other day. Only this time, his eyebrows knit together when he glances up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." The words are miles from the truth, but I won't talk about it with him or anyone.

I go to my locker, my hands trembling as I do the combination, so that I have to do it twice to get it unlocked. I glance back and find Will's still waiting for me.

"Did you need something?"

He smiles. "Ready to go?"

He picks up the knapsack I left on the floor and walks to the back exit in the same way as the other day.

"Will?" I call out.

He stops at the open door. Behind him, there's a dark sky and a half-empty parking lot.

"Where are you going with that?"

He doesn't answer until I'm beside him. "I'm taking this to your car."

"You don't even know which one it is."

He doesn't answer but walks past a group of students lounging outside and stops behind my Ford. I avoid the curious stares, and key open the trunk. He drops my bag in.

I expect him to talk now, but he moves to the passenger door and stands there, looking at me with an unwavering gaze.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you to unlock the door."

"Why?"

"So, you can drive me home," he says with a small smile. "I don't have a ride today. And I thought you could return the favor."

I frown at his words.

"You're not going to let me walk in the rain, are you?" He raises his face to the dark storm clouds above us. A small indentation appears on his left cheek as his lips turn up. "I'll never make it to my place before it starts."

I wait a good twenty seconds as I weigh my options. My heartbeat quickens as he stares steadily at me. If it weren't for Cassie, I wouldn't be here in this situation where I owe him now.

During the time we stand there, he doesn't speak a word but gazes at me from under dark, heavy lashes. In the end, I think about how he helped me the first day and I decide with a nod of my head.

I press the button, and the locks make a loud click sound. Will opens the door and throws his bag into the backseat. I'm psyching myself up to get into the small space with him when the wind blows my hair over my eyes. With it comes a familiar scent. I brush the tendrils away from my forehead and sniff in the faint smell of roses just as my gaze falls on the source...

... a folded paper tucked under my wipers.